Fueled by lower margins on petroleum and natural gas products as well as an evolving regulatory landscape, refineries and petrochemical plants are in the midst of a modernization spree. Plant modernization comes in many forms, such as:
- Improving raw material supply and product throughput.
- Implementing new production technology and process units.
- Expanding real-time intelligence and analytics in operations.
- Consolidating technical systems to reduce clutter and establish accessible sources of truth.
- Collecting real-time environmental, health and emergency response data to improve safety.
No matter the project, the goal is clear: to accelerate the implementation of technology that delivers value and return.
Most modernization mishaps are preventable but run into the same problem: IT coordination. Often, the information technology and network security teams are brought in too late in the procurement process to change the implementation scope or identify potential pitfalls. As a result, the implementation of a simple, scalable system turns into an ad hoc solution and reactive maintenance of a brand new technical system. As chemical plants increasingly leverage new technologies to meet compliance and operational needs, the digital ecosystem becomes more unstable and difficult to maintain.
Additionally, when chemical companies expand their infrastructure by deploying new hardware and software systems from various vendors, they often face new obstacles with integration. Their ability to monitor, analyze and act on their mission-critical data becomes dependent on maintaining the quagmire of expanding application portfolios, digital infrastructure and IT costs. It is not uncommon for well-educated, highly paid employees to resort to manually entering data into Excel to consolidate all the necessary data from disparate applications and systems. This inefficiency is incredible and costly, and once again, IT regularly fields the blame for preventing access to critical data.
As you prepare to integrate the latest gas detection technology or expand your operations, talk to IT first. Involving IT professionals early in the project allows them to offer valuable input before it's too late. They don't have to dictate the entire project scope, but it will not hurt to listen to their advice on infrastructure and implementation requirements. It can also offer a chance for your IT professionals to talk to the vendor ahead of time, identify any potential issues and address them long before the implementation process begins. They can also advise you on when it is better to bring in a third-party solution or develop one of your own.
Embracing the digital revolution is not always easy, but it is the right thing to do, especially if you want your company to improve rapidly and remain agile. If you are serious about modernizing your plant, then let your experts do what they're good at. Listen to their advice on whether to embrace an in-house initiative or bring in third-party vendors, consultants, etc., to fill in the gaps. The age of integration is here, and it works because millions of providers develop and design unique solutions that solve unique problems. So why not leverage their expertise when it comes to integrating your monitoring solutions or providing a platform that can serve cross-functional EHS teams?
The digital marketplace is growing and will only continue to do so. From HR to compliance to real-time monitoring of your gas and weather sensors, there is an app for that. Whether you stay in-house or bring in outside help, leverage your IT teams early. Have them review and verify security and infrastructure implications. Let them validate the compatibility of the new technologies or third-party platforms with existing applications and infrastructure. Allow them the opportunity to verify the scalability of your solution and to better define the projects' requirements. IT professionals are the ideal auditors of integrated platforms and the latest technologies. You hired them for their expertise, so isn't it time you relied on it?
For more information, visit www.SAFERsystem.com or call (805) 852-0751.
